Without Kinect, the Xbox One June update frees up 10% graphics power

Microsoft’s decision last month to begin providing an Xbox One bundle without Kinect was a bold but necessary one, and now that the console will be offered at the same price as Sony’s PlayStation 4 – a console that has so far dominated the new generation sales race – will make the battle for consumers’ wallets that much more even.

The removal of the Kinect from Xbox One will have an added and significant side effect, however, as the console’s processing power that was previously dedicated to Kinect operations will now be accessible to game developers.

While this Xbox One June update hasn’t yet been made available to developers (the latest software update for consumer Xbox One consoles released this week), the benefits will hopefully be noticeable in future Xbox One games.

Speaking with Eurogamer, a Microsoft representative confirmed the significance of the update, writing:

“Yes, the additional resources allow access to up to 10% additional GPU performance.

“We’re committed to giving developers new tools and flexibility to make their Xbox One games even better by giving them the option to use the GPU reserve in whatever way is best for them and their games.”

How do you think the freeing up of graphical processing power will help Xbox One game developers in the future?